4 years later.
"Daddy!" Lilly giggles as her dad throws her up and catches her.
Alice watches from the door with a smile. It was when Lilly was a geae old when she helped her husband realize the truth about himself, that he's gay. They've been separated since - for three years; Alice is seeing Jasmine, and Ian is still single.
"Hey, Daddy?" Lilly says sweetly and her dad looks at her.
"What's up, Princess?" Ian coos.
"Can I come to work with you?" Lilly asks slowly. She has a decent vocabulary and can speak in full sentences if she speaks slowly and takes her time.
"Wanna be a Junior Agent?" Ian asks. "Let me call my boss. If he says it's okay, then you can be my partner today. How's that sound?"
"That sounds good, Daddy," Lilly replies. "I go get ready." She runs off as soon as Ian puts her down.
Ian calls his boss and Alice watches. If Ian's boss allows it, she'll call 5e babysitter and tell her she doesn't need her today.
"Call Alyssa," Ian says once his call is over. "Boss cleared it; Lilly's going to be a junior agent today."
"Okay," Alice says. "Check your finances. Three years. We should have enough for the divorce now."
"I'll make sure to check before tonight," Ian replies. He squeezes Alice's arm before he goes to get ready himself.
*******()******
"There's my favorite kid!" Peter Burke boasts as Lilly goes running int9 the bullpen ahead of Ian.
"Uncle Peter!" Lilly runs over and she hugs the man. Peter spins her and the four-year-old laughs loudly in pure glee.
"Hey, Peter," Ian greets as he walks over.
"Hey, Ian," Peter greets. "You able to afford a divorce yet?"
"I'm gonna check my bank account now," Ian says and he goes to his desk while Peter talks to Lilly, whom of which is very glad she's here instead of with Alyssa Storm, her babysitter.
*****()*******
Ian works out of the office today, catching up on paperwork and backlogging case files on the computer. Lilly doesn't mind because she's been in Peter's office the entire time or with Jones or with Ian. Ian leads at 5:00 on the dot and he goes to the bank, which closes at 5:30, and he heads home. He sees that Alice isn't home her so he makes dinner for Lilly and he calls Collette, the divorce attorney that he and Alice have been talking to for the last three years.
"Collette's, this is Maribel Marital Law Firm speaking," the familiar voice of Collette's secretary says.
"Maribel, it's Ian Benson," Ian says. "Is Collette in?"
The attorney's name is Collette Robbins. When Ian and Alice tried calling her 'Ms. Robbins', she scolded them and said to call her Collette. She's sidled and her married name is Robbins, and hearing it at work hurts her. No one but her and Maribel knows this, and it's no one else's business.
"Yes, sir, she is, please hold," Maribel says and the hold music plays.
"Go get into your pajamas and play," Ian says to his daughter. "I'll be there shortly."
"Okay, Daddy," Lilly says and she runs off.
"Mr. Benson," Collette's voice fills the line. "How can I help you?"
"I'm ready to get those divorce papers."
*****()****
Two days later, while Alice is eating some cereal while Lilly is sitting on her potty in the bathroom, Ian drops a manila folder onto the table. Alice furrows her brows and she opens it. Her jaw drops.
"Divorce papers," Alice whispers. "You had enough?"
"I did," Ian says.
Alice looks up at him. "Thank you, Ian," she says.
Ian nods and he sits down. "We need to talk custody," he says and he sits down.
"Lilly will live with you," Alice says. "Jasmine and I had plans to move to Barbados and get married and live there after you and I divorced. I was a parent to Lilly because you love her. I don't."
"You don't love me?"
The parents whirl around and see Lilly.
"I do, Bug," Ian says and Lilly runs to him. "I always will."
Alice sighs. She watches as Ian walks away with Lilly without another word.
